Joint



G. J. scHERBA 2,599,866

JOINT 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 June 10, 1,952

Filed May 16. 194e 7 0. M M .m2 l mm W 1 IJ ,M p 4 G 2 .7 n 4 5 w IM .0 a T 2l 1 y l .HJI.|||||.| llllllg.-

Patented June 10, 1952 JOINT` George-J. Seher-ba, Pittsburgh, Pa;, assignortol United States. Steel Company, a corporation' of New Jersey Application May 16, 1946,- serial N0.-670`,214 (c1. 18s-sa) This invention relates' to a joint and more particularly toy a jointl forl connecting the steel traveling cover Iplates and endsliding rplates in a forging press:

In forgingA operations in va vertical press, itis frequently necessary to move the bottom die to theright or left 'of the topdie. This is done'by means of hydraulic cylinderstwhich` pull the die end 'sliding 'plate and cover plate assembly in the direction' desired. The joint between' the end sliding plate'and' the cover plate is so situated that"the hot forging often rests on or near the jointso'that the'plates become-hot, expand, and

warp'. Y The'joi'nt previously vusedhad aV groove inv one ,-of' the'plates and a tongue onv the other plate extending 'into the groove vwith the'two plates being'held together bymeans of a series of stud bolts pa'ssi'ngthrough` the'joint. No provision was' made" for 4expansion and the plates' buckled upwardly, breaking the bolts and stripping the tapped holes in the bottom plate. This required frequent removal of-theplates for straightening orf'replacem'entf New bolts had to be-provided and the holes had to be retapped` if' the plates were not replaced: Y In' addition, a considerable strain was placed on the stud bolts because of the heat; the pulling action, and the shock loads. Furthermore,v considerable diliculty was` encountered in -separating the plates.

Itis anA object of-'my-invention to provide a high strength joint for use in connecting the cover plate andend sliding plate of a forging press'.

Another object is to provide a joint which permits easy assembly and removal of the lparts thereof.

Still another object is to provide a joint which is free of projections on its top surface.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial plan view showing the center slide plate and end slide plate for supporting the Work;

Figure 4 is a transverse section on line IV--IV of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line V-V of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates the columns of a vertical forging press which has the usual top die 4 and bottom die 6. The top die 4 is mounted for reciprocation in the usual manner While the bottom die 6 is supported Afor movement onthe center sliding plate 8. Apparatus is provided for moving the center sliding plate'8 with the bottom die 6 thereon either to the right or to the left as shown in Figure 1. Since this mechanism is the same on either side of the center line of the press, only the mechanism for movingA the bottom die 6 to the left will be shown and described, it being understood that the same reference numerals will apply to the mechanism for moving the die to the right. An anvil plate-I0, located beneath the center sliding-.plate 8 vand the Aend sliding plate I2, supports these plates. A- link I4 is located in a groove I6 on each side vof the plates 8 and I2 for connecting. the platestogether. The linksl I4 -arereadily removable so that the plates and I2 can be separated. Adjacent the anvil plate l0 and extending outwardly from the center of the press isa bed plate I8 upon which a cover plate 20 is slidably mounted.

A hydraulic cylinder 22 is mounted adjacent thebed plate I8,the center line of the cylinder beingin the same vertical plane as thev center line of the bottom die 6. Fluid is introduced-intoY the cylinder 22 through conduits 24 and 2B Aat the ends thereof. The bed platel I8l has alongitudinal opening 28 therethrough in line :with the piston rod 3U of the cylinderv22 rand also in line with a longitudinal opening 32 in the anvil plate I 0. The piston rod 3U isrconnected to` a drag bar 34 which has substantiallyv the same width as openings 28 and 32.3 The drag bar 34Y is fastened to the end sliding plate I2 by means of countersunk head bolts 36 which pass through aligned' holes in the drag bar 34 'and plate I2. Mounted on each side of cylinder 22 on pedestals 38 is an I-beam 40. The end sliding plate I2 and cover plate2ll are connected by means of a joint 42 which is shown in detail in Figures 3 and 5. The end sliding plate l2 is provided with an arcuate undercut groove 44 which is shown as elliptical in form, but which could be hyperbolic, parabolic, or cycloidic in form to obtain the desired shear, tension or compression values. The undercut groove 44 merges with a substantially horizontal portion 46 which extends to the end 48 of the plate I2. A substantially vertical portion 58 extends upwardly from the other end of groove 44. The end of the plate 20, adjacent the plate I2, is provided with an arcuate lip 52 having substantially the same curvature as groove 44 so that the surfaces of the groove and lip are in contact substantially throughout their periphery, thus obtaining a practically solid joint. Where the temperature of the joint varies over a considerable range and where the plates are anchored at their remote ends, the end of the lip 52 may be spaced from the end of the groove 44 as shown to provide an expansion space 54. A substantially horizontal portion 56 on the plate y 20 merges with the lip 52 and, when the plates are in normal position, rests on the horizontal portion 46; A space 58 is provided between the bottom ends of plates i2 and 20 under the same conditions that space 54 is provided. A vertical portion 60 merges with the lip 52 and extends upwardly therefrom to the top of plate 20 and is spaced from vertical portion 50 to provide a space 62 therebetween. A lsceyV 64, located at the center of the plate joint, is spot welded to plates l2 and 20 to prevent relative transverse movement thereof while permitting expansion of the Vplatesin all directions from the key.

The lip 52 can rbe slipped into the groove 44 by arranging the plateV 20 at a slight angle to plate l2, this being the position shown in broken lines in Figure 5. The space 62 is of sufficient width to permit this tipping of the plate 20. The key 64 is spot welded in place after the plates l2 and 20 are in the desired position and when it is desired to separate the plates, it is only necessary to knock the spot weld off key 64 and tip the plate 20 to the broken line position shown in Figure 5.

In moving the bottom die 6to the left, fluid is introduced through conduit 26 into the left hand cylinder 22. The piston rod 36, being connected to theV plate I2 by means of the drag bar 34, moves the sliding plate and cover plate assembly to the left. The movement of the drag bar 34 in the grooves 28 and 32 hold the assembly in centered position. The top of VI-bean'is 40 serve as a support for the cover plate 20 as it moves to the broken line position shown in Figures l and 2.

While oneV embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent arcuate lip extending along the abutting end of one of said members, a portion on said first named member merging with one end of said lip and extending away from theabutting end, *Y

a portion on said rst named member merging with the other end of said lip and extending substantially parallelV to the end of said lip, the

other of said Ymembershaving a complement-ary arcuate undercut groove extending along its abutting end for snugly receiving said lip, said groove having a size and shape substantially the same as that of the lip over a substantial portion of its surface, a portion on the second of said members merging with said arcuate groove and engaging the first named portion on said first named plate, `a portion on said second named plate merging with the other end of said groove and extending substantially parallel to the second portion on said rst named member with a space therebetween, and a key in said space preventing relative tilting movement between said members to prevent disengagement thereof.

2. A joint between two plates arranged with their tops at the same elevation comprising an arcuate lipextending along the abutting end of one of said plates, a substantially horizontal portion on said first named plate merging with one end of said lip and extending away fromV the abutting end, a substantially vertical portion on said first named member merging with the other end of said lip and extending to the top of the plate, the other of said plates having a complementary arcuate undercut groove extending along its abutting end for snugly receiving said lip, said groove having a size and shape substantially the same as that of the lip over a substantial portion of its surface, a portion on the second plate merging with said arcuate groove and supporting the rst named portion of said rst named plate, a substantially vertical portion on said second named plate merging with the otherV end of said groove and extending to the top of said plate, said vertical portions having a space therebetween, and a key in said space preventing relative tilting movement between said members to prevent disengagement thereof.

GEORGE J. SCHERBA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

